


It takes a village

by TheArtificialDane



Series: The Brightest Timeline [10]
Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-20 11:48:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22016914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtificialDane/pseuds/TheArtificialDane
Summary: “Okay, I’m going in-” Brooke put the scissor against Vanjie’s back, ready to cut the dress, when Vanjie made a loud sound.“Ow!”“Shit!” Brooke pulled away immediately, horror clear on his face. “Sorry! Sorr-“His apology, however cut off by Vanjie laughing, her face bright, her nose scrunched up. “Calm down hot stuff, I’m just fucking with you.”
Relationships: Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Series: The Brightest Timeline [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1400260
Comments: 11
Kudos: 65





	It takes a village

Courtney adjusted her lash, Toronto passing by outside the bus window.

She hated traveling on public transportation in full face, but she wasn’t going to the club for a night out with her drag besties without being dressed up, not when it was such a special occasion. She was with Jamie, her Drag Coven sister, but they were embarrassingly broke, both of their funds always going towards traveling to see and document the performers they loved, so they had opted to take the bus, even though it wasn’t very glamorous.

Courtney looked down at her phone when it vibrated, a text from Brooke popping up on her display. 

_Where are you?_

Brooke going away to film Drag Race had been harder than either of them had ever imagined. Brooke had told Courtney he was going to be gone for 6 weeks in the middle of summer, the long absence from the certified workaholic coupled with the fact that Brooke had asked for her help to edit his audition tape meaning that Courtney had screamed at him with excitement over the phone, Beooke telling her again and again that she had to keep quiet and pretend she didn’t know anything, since he only has one extra NDA contract and he needed Steve to sign that. 

Brooke and Courtney usually spoke on the phone several times a week, a habit they had had for years, and was also what kept their friendship alive since Brooke was beyond horrible at texting. It was okay, however, since he was always there if Courtney needed him.

_On my way._

Trump the Rusical had only just aired, and while Courtney knew - she hadn’t known until she had actually seen the episode. 

She wasn’t proud of it, but she had cried like a baby at the viewing party when she had seen Untucked, texting Brooke pictures of her messed up makeup which had earned her several laughing smileys. 

Brooke had told her he and Vanjie were dating. It was impossible for him not to share it with someone he talked to as often as Courtney, but even though they spoke several times a week, Brooke had been a fortress about what had actually happened on the show. 

Courtney knew of Vanjie from season 10, and had worked with her as a photographer already, but the first Courtney had met Vanjie as someone in relation to Brooke, even if she hadn't known at the time, was at DragCon New York 2018.

Courtney didn’t get the chance to actually see them together, Vanjie getting pulled at from every direction, but Brooke had dissapeared at one point, not telling her or Jamie where she went, the man coming back with glitter on her face, a new coat of lipstick and a stupid smile.

Courtney had recognised Brooke’s behavior in Untucked right away, her dear dear friend trying so hard to cheer Vanjie up, the kisses and the little touches done with such tenderness that Courtney had seen the consideration and care shine through the screen, and she knew she was witnessing the start of something special.

Courtney knew that the fact that Brooke and Vanjie had officially kissed on TV would change everything.

This show was the first time Brooke and Vanjie had been able to line up their bookings since the show announcement without it being too obvious what they were doing, VH1 not messaging either of them when they happened to both be booked in Toronto on the same weekend.

_I need a favor_

///

Courtney called Brooke the moment the text ticked in, the bus only just pulling up near the club. Brooke picked up, Courtney happy that he reacted so quickly, her own anxiety swirling in her stomach at the thought that Brooke wasn’t okay.

“Please tell me you just forgot something?”

Courtney was crossing her fingers, Brooke often a mess to keep on track whenever they traveled together, and Courtney had actually wondered once or twice how Brooke kept everything under control when he was on his own.

“ _Did you bring any extra drag?_ ”

Courtney wrinkled her brow. 

Brooke had booked both her and Jamie a hotel room for the night at the same place he was staying with Vanjie, and Courtney had felt so appreciated and loved. Brooke had asked for her last name for the booking, effectively spoiling the surprise however. It was typical of Brooke, but booking a hotel was so sweet of him, that she hadn’t even minded the fact that one of her very best friends had once again forgotten what her last name actually was.

“ _Why?_ ”

///

Courtney opened the door to the fitting room, and was greeted by Brooke and Vanjie who were sitting together in a corner, Vanjie’s back against the wall. Vanjie looked stunning in a honey blonde wig, while Brooke was in a white t-shirts and a blazer, Courtney chuckling at how boy Brooke had dressed up all fancy for his date.

Vanjie’s face was already fully done, even though her performance didn’t start for another two hours, Brooke’s influence and anxiety all over how long there still was to call time, and Courtney had to bite her lip not to laugh. 

“Courtney!” Brooke stood up, coming over to pull her into a hug, holding her against his chest.

“It’s so good to see you.” Brooke kissed her hair, whispering against her head, and Courtney breathed in, letting herself drown for a moment in the scents that always seemed to cling to her friend. Courtney didn’t generally like to be touched, but there was something about Brooke that always made it okay. 

They broke apart, Brooke gently touching her face, holding her cheeks in his hands, his thumb rubbing her cheekbone. 

“I have no idea how you do it.” Brooke was speaking in a low tone, Jamie already past both of them to say hi to Vanjie, the characteristic voice filling the room.

“How I do what?” Courtney smiled.

“Assist.” Brooke huffed and pulled away, the frustration clear on his face. Courtney realised that Brooke’s fingers were red, marks all over them and she could feel his nervous energy return.

Courtney knew she didn’t have to, but she still took Brooke’s hand.

The backstage looked like a storm had come through it, Vanjie’s suitcase emptied underneath a table, someone clearly rifling through it.

“What happened?”

“Courtney!” She was interrupted by Vanjie, who came towards them, a black dress barely staying on her body. “You here!”

Courtney was pulled into a hug, the Puerto Rican queen holding her tight for a second, before she released her.

“Brock’s been missing your ass.”

“It looks like a hurricane came through her…”

“Ain’t nothing to see but hurricane Vanjie.” Vanjie smiled, “but at least I ain’t breaking no furniture this time.” 

They both laughed, Courtney and Vanjie breaking a lamp while taking pictures the last time Vanjie had been in Toronto, before season 11, before Courtney had known how important the man would become for her friend.

“The zipper is busted as fuck.”

Just then, Nina came through the door, holding something in his hand. “I found scissors!” 

///

Watching Brooke attempting to get Vanjie to stay still so he could cut her out of her dress, was quite the spectacle. They had given fixing the zipper one last go, Jamie taking pictures of them all absolutely failing, but it had been fun, Vanjie much more patient than Courtney had ever imagined she could be. 

“Okay, I’m going in-” Brooke put the scissor against Vanjie’s back, ready to cut the dress, when Vanjie made a loud sound.

“Ow!”

“Shit!” Brooke pulled away immediately, horror clear on his face. “Sorry! Sorr-“

His apology was however cut off by Vanjie laughing, her face bright, her nose scrunched up. “Calm down hot stuff, I’m just fucking with you.”

Brooke pinched Vanjie’s inner thigh, Vanjie yelping loudly before stepping back, her heel hitting Brooke’s toes on purpose.

Courtney watched the two of them, Brooke ending it by grabbing Vanjie’s hip, forcing her to stand still. Courtney heard a happy little sigh to her side, looking over to see Nina who was sitting with a beer.

“I’m glad you guys are here.” Nina chuckled. “They’re obnoxious as fuck when they actually get to see each other these day.”

  
  


///

“So what you got?” Vanjie was looking into Courtney backpack, the queen only in her tights and pads.

“A little bit of everything-” Courtney started to empty her backpack, but Jamie chimed in.

“I can’t believe you didn’t bring more than one outfit.” The disbelief clear in their voice. 

“Mama-“ Vanjie looked up.

“Vanj refuses to wear her own stuff.” Nina shrugged.

Vanjie turned to Nina, hand on her hip. “My shit is dirty cause I been working my ass off!” Vanjie threw out her arm. “You want me to wear dirty shit to meet my fans? Cause that ain’t right!”

Courtney understood Vanjie immediately. There were few things that smelled worse than a traveling drag queens wardrobe, entertaining on a bar stage causing more sweat and drink spillage than most could imagine. 

There was a reason most queens had such a massive use of perfumes.

Brooke was fairly okay at keeping his things separate, but Courtney had gotten tears in her eyes a few times while opening his suitcases on tour, Courtney often running to dry cleaners or doing a load in a hotel machine. 

“It’s fine. Vanj can just some of my stuff.” Courtney smiled. “Though it might not be your style.”

“Cutie I’ve seen those pictures of yours.” Vanjie turned to her, a smirk on her lips. “It’ll be my style.” Vanjie went through the outfits, her eyes falling on a blue sequins jersey with writing on it. “Shiiiit!” Vanjie held it up, her face shining like a sun. “You saved my whole entire ass.”

“She has a habit of doing that.” Brooke smiled, and Courtney couldn’t remember ever feeling prouder. 

///

“Fuck..” Vanjie groaned, and Courtney looked over. Vanjie was sitting in Brooke’s lap, leaning against his chest, both of them enjoying the privacy of the dressing room, Vanjie with her phone in hand.

“Your DM blowing up too?” 

“Mmmh.” Brooke nodded, his head leaning on Vanjie’s shoulders. “I haven’t even opened Instagram.”

“Course not.” Vanjie chuckled. “I’ma jump out a window if I see that orange alert look one more time.”

“You looked cute.”

“Bitch-” Vanjie looked over her shoulder. “The fact that you said cute and not stunning is telling every ho what they need to know.”

Courtney chuckled, even though she felt a bit like a voyeur, their conversation clearly not for her. 

“I wish they got something else to repost.”

“Why don’t you give it to them?”

Both Brooke and Vanjie looked over at Courtney simultaneously.

“And what we gonna give to them?”

///

_“You got it?” Vanjie smiles. Nina is standing to her right in a denim jacket and a lilac shirt. Vanjie is a blonde wig and a sequined football jersey, somewhere backstage at a club._

_“Everyone is in frame!” A female voice comes from behind the camera._

_“So we just gonna do like we did?”_

_“Yes!”_

_Vanjie gives a thumbs up, and the female voice continnues._

_“Action.”_

_Brooke steps out from the left in a black blazer. He gently touches Vanjie’s face, her hands grabbing his hips, and they kiss briefly._

_Nina moves his head left and right, acting like he is in a cartoon, but Brooke and Vanjie are still kissing, Brooke refusing to let go of Vanjie’s face._

_“Cut!” Courtney laughs loudly. “Brooke! You have to stop!”_

_“Mmmh-” Brooke is still kissing Vanjie, while Vanjie flips the bird, her nail sparkly._

_“Okay-” Courtney chuckles. “Let’s try that again, so VH1 don’t kill you both.”_


End file.
